Waterfront Park String Band
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Waterfront Park String Band

Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States | SELF

Newburyport, Massachusetts, United States | SELF
Duo Country Bluegrass

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"Friends Of the Needham Library"

The Waterfront Park String Band (WPSB), a local bluegrass/folk group, will perform at the annual meeting of the Friends of the Needham Public Library at 7:30pm, Thursday, June 2, at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1211 Highland Avenue, Needham. The concert is free and open to the public.

The WPSB was founded by Michael Forney and Keith Allen, both transplanted southerners (Mike from Lawndale, N.C., and Keith from Danville, Va.) with musical roots in folk music, traditional gospel, and bluegrass. They frequently perform at the Waterfront Park in Newburyport, Mass., where they both live. Keith plays guitar and sings lead vocals; Michael sings harmony vocals and plays mandolin, fiddle and guitar.

The group, which sometimes expands to include other musicians, has performed in venues as wide-ranging as local theaters, church choirs, folk music clubs, and television specials. They have appeared recently at the Newburyport Firehouse Theater, the Tap in Haverhill, David’s in Newburyport, The Barking Dog in Amesbury, Yankee Homecoming in Newburyport, and Akmon’s Barber Shop in Paris, Kentucky. However, the venue of choice is the Newburyport waterfront on warm sunny afternoons. In November 2004, the WPSB recorded a CD of 14 songs, primarily traditional folk and bluegrass. A second CD is in the works for summer of 2005, including original songs.
- Friends of the Needham Library News Letter


Discography

We have released two CDs
1. "First Time Out" is a studio recording of 15 songs that we did in Nov of 2004.
2."Live at the Actor's Studio" is a 2 disc live recording of a concert we did in Nov 2006 in Newburyport. We recorded the concert in it's entirety, including personal stories, off stage comments, bad jokes, and directions to the restrooms. We have had a great reception to this CD. Our friends tell us that this recording feels as if we have come into their living rooms for a visit.

Photos

Bio

Keith and Mike, are both Southern transplants to New England. Keith grew up in Danville VA, Mike in Lawndale, NC. Both now live in Newburyport. They met and often play in Waterfront Park at the mouth of the Merrimac River. (hence the name)
Keith is steeped in the 60's folk tradition. Influences include Gordon Lightfoot, Peter Paul and Mary, Bill Stains, and Bob Dylan. Keith has a wide and varied background as a vocalist ranging from church choirs, to television specials, Yankee Homecoming to street performing. Keith's rich baritone voice and tasteful guitar fingerpicking carry the sweet melodies of the music.
Mike comes from a tiny little town in western North Carolina and was immersed in old time and traditional music from age 14 when he started playing guitar.
Mike's influences include The Carter Family, Flatt and Scruggs, Steve Earle, Doc Watson, and John Hartford. Mike is a multi instumentalist shifting smoothly from mandolin to fiddle to dobro and carrying the high lonesome harmonies of songs like "Pilgrim"

Band Members